The present invention relates to robotic endoscopes, and more particularly to robotic endoscopes in which the 3-dimensional shape of the endoscope is controlled.
Diagnostic endoscopy is a common procedure in the United States and other countries, perhaps being second only to interventional cardiology in generating hospital revenue.
Traditional endoscopy utilizes flexible endoscopes that are steered by internal tension wires. These probes typically include means for illumination, lavage, and imaging (usually with a CCD camera chip at the distal tip), as well as a working channel through which, for example, biopsy forceps, snares, and fulguration probes can be introduced. Such devices allow physicians to see and treat polyps and other common disorders of the alimentary, gastrointestinal, and respiratory tracts.
Even after 20 years of refinement, present day endoscopes are expensive, bulky and stiff. For example, conventional steering-cable-based schemes allow for control of the shape of only the most distal portion of the endoscope. As a result, a long, relatively stiff portion of the endoscope follows the working tip. The resultant forces imparted to sensitive endolumenal tissue result in the need for sedation. Conventional endoscopes are also subject to cross-contamination, unless they are cleaned and disinfected carefully.
Annual colonoscopic examinations are routinely recommended for males over 50 years of age, but only a small fraction of this population receives such an annual examination, because of the discomfort and the perceived risks associated with the examination. Moreover, present day endoscopic examinations almost always require sedation, for example, using a powerful amnesiac such as midazolam hydrochloride (e.g. Versed(copyright) owned by Hoffmann LaRoche). This sedation accounts for approximately half of the costs associated with the overall endoscopic procedure.
There have been several research projects aimed at xe2x80x9csedationlessxe2x80x9d endoscopy using designs that clamp-and-pull the endoscope using distal inchworm or suck-and-step mechanisms. These approaches do not, however, overcome the disadvantage that the balance of the endoscope is dragged along after the distal end.
There is thus a need for a new generation of endoscopes that can navigate the anatomic tract with minimal tugging and pulling on the endothelium, thus reducing the pain, risk and need for sedation that is associated with endoscopic examinations. This will in turn lead to a decrease in the cost and an increase in the frequency of endoscopic diagnosis and treatment for a wide variety of cancers and other disorders of the aerodigestive system These and other needs are met by the present invention, as hereinafter described.
The present invention relates to an endoscope that comprises an elongated body adapted for insertion into an intestinal lumen. A plurality of electrically controlled actuators are associated with the body, and are controllable to impart a desired orientation to the body that reflects, and preferably is complimentary to, the natural orientation or three-dimensional spatial trajectory of the lumen into which the endoscope is inserted. The endoscope may be provided with a sensing system, such as an optical system comprising a light source and a camera, at a distal end of the elongated body for sensing the natural orientation of the lumen into which the endoscope is inserted. The endoscope may also be provided with a driving mechanism for advancing the body through the lumen in accordance with a drive algorithm. Since the endoscopes of the present invention rely on electrically controlled actuators to impart a desired orientation to the body of the device, they do not require traditional steering cables, bulky motors or mechanical joints. As a result, the endoscopes of the present invention can readily adapt and maintain a three-dimensional shape that effectively matches the natural configuration of the tract under examination.
The advantages of the endoscopes of the present invention are numerous and include reduced discomfort and thus reduced need for sedation medication.
For example, unlike prior endoscopes, the endoscopes of the present invention do not drag the balance of the endoscope along behind the distal end of the scope. Instead, the endoscopes of the present invention follow the shape of the lumen, minimizing stresses on the lumen walls.
Moreover, depending on manufacturing economics, the endoscopes of the present invention may be appropriate for single use, reducing the potential for re-use contamination.